KPWKM TO FACILITATE OPENING OF MORE CHILDCARE CENTRES

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) will facilitate the opening of more registered childcare centres in an effort to encourage Malaysians to have more children.

Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the ministry would collaborate with relevant parties for this purpose and ensure the provision of childcare fee subsidies to eligible recipients to increase the total fertility rate (TFR) in the country.

"Economic factors are a major contributor to this (TFR) decline, as many, especially young people, plan their lives and consider childcare options and the high costs of childcare centres.

"We are trying to play our part by collaborating to ensure that more childcare centres are available in various locations, as this could assist in their decision on whether to have children or not," she told a press conference after launching the Sixth Malaysian Population and Family Survey (KPKM-6) 2024 in conjunction with the World Population Day 2024 celebration here today.

Commenting on the survey themed ‘Suara Keluarga, Masa Depan Negara’, conducted from this month until December, Nancy hopes it will help increase the TFR in Malaysia.

The Malaysian Population and Family Survey, conducted every 10 years since 1974, aims to provide up-to-date and time series data related to population, family, reproductive health, and the socio-economic status of Malaysians.

Nancy added that the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) would visit over 37,550 selected residences nationwide, targeting five respondent categories: ever married women and men aged 15 to 59, never married adolescents aged 13 to 24, elderly aged 60 and above, and singles aged 25 to 59.

Earlier, in her speech, she said that according to the 2023 Vital Statistics Report by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the TFR in Malaysia has significantly declined from 2.1 children in 2010 to 1.6 children in 2022.

 -- BERNAMA